Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We in the Rural Independent Group have a problem with the allocation of six hours this week for debate on Second Stage and Remaining Stages of the Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023. There will also be a guillotine at the end of debate. It beggars belief that this kind of emergency legislation has to be rushed. Only a little over six hours has been allocated for debate and a guillotine has been included. The Government has had plenty of notice because we have been saying there might be a need for emergency electricity generation but we do not need a Bill such as the one proposed. The Bill has not been legally scrutinised. It has not been scrutinised by committee and it cannot possibly be scrutinised in the time that has been allocated for debate. This is rushed and bad legislation, as it will always be. It is an effort by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, before he flies all over the world, ar fud an domhain, for Paddy's Day. He and others will be travelling many miles, but there has been no talk about that. The people are sick and tired of this. We are opposed to the Bill being debated in this manner.

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